 "Bombardier's ultimatum ends, stand-off still continues")
While the management had set the deadline for the workers to resume work by Wednesday, i.e. July 17 or face stricter actions from the company including termination, the workers seem to be in no mood to give-in.
"We held meeting with the company officials twice during the day today. But they are not ready to accept our demands. We want our union with external representation, which they don't allow, so the fight will continue," said Sachin Sondkar, a company employee and representative of the striking workers.
The company had earlier agreed to allow workers to form an internal union, but workers are not ready to accept it. "Internal union will make no sense as we do not have the legal knowledge to safeguard our rights. For this we need external representation," Sondkar said. The workers' strike is backed by Makarpura GIDC Employees' Union, which is affiliated to All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC).
The workers had also moved a special civil application in the Gujarat High Court challenging the state labour department's order terming the strike illegal.
However, the company, on the other hand claimed that the High Court had declined to grant a "stay order" on the labour department's order.
"There was a hearing in the Gujarat High Court today to get interim relief on the strike declared illegal (Prohibition of strike notification) by the Labour Department in Gandhinagar. There was an oral order passed today in the Gujarat High Court refusing 'stay'," a company statement claimed.
According to sources, some of the senior company officials have rushed from Singapore to handle the matter. "We are in discussion with the workers. The deadline stands till midnight today. So, final status on the strike can be known only tomorrow," Harsh Mehta, director - communications, Bombardier Transportation said.
On July 11, the company had issued an ultimatum to the employees to resume work on or before July 17, 2013. "Failing which the company is rightful and constrained to take any disciplinary action including terminating their services through an applicable legal process and hire replacements for smooth conduct of its business activities," the company stated in its statement. Last month the labour department of Gujarat had issued a 'Prohibition of strike' notification to the company, followed by an injunction letter from the labour court.